NO to the design behind the stove that rarely works except in a huge Tuscan kitchen ideally in Tuscany. IMO you should have not done the wall cabinets on that wall and then just tiled the whole wall but now just run the tile up to the ceiling behind the hood and no 1/4 round trim anythere in that kitchen, I install tile before hood and no backsplash on the wall with the shelves. Lots os questions for me I guess the first would be why you did not take the cabinets to the ceiling , what are you planning on putting on those shelves that are so close together . Are you using subway type tile ? Show us the tile you like I always like larger format tile to avoid too many grout lines and IMO this kitchen is quite modern looking so I would not do a brick pattern but just a simple stacked install and I suggest you wait until your counters are in before deciding backsplash tile .

here is a pic of the tile (Antolia-Marlow in mist its a superlight gray in real life)... it comes in white but it looked dirty. It comes in matte or glossy.... I'm thinking the gloss would be a nice contrast to the matte countertops, but is that right? I realize we have to confirm the tile in the actual kitchen.

a) No right answer. 'd probably take the tile to the top of the cabinet - just under the molding.

b) No to the design feature.

c) tile size is a personal choice....with your current kitchen design, I think a stacked (not brick pattern), longer tile would look good.

c2) install the tile before the fan.

d) no tile in pantry area - unless you are using is as a work zone and there might be splashes.

Does "stacked" imply horizontal? Should I use the 3 x 12 in a straight horizontsl stack?

You don't need tile behind the entire thing. Tile just to bottom of hood. You will get a better tile install and no awkwardness at the top of cabinetry, as yours do not extend to ceiling.

Please, NO to accents and pictures behind the cook.

Three x twelve looks great in 33/3333/ offset

My cooker and sink are on the same wall I have tile to the ceiling ..the rest of the kitchen it's up to the under side of the wall cupboards ..the tile was put up before the cooker hood was

A longer, rectangular tile would complement the kitchen better. And no to the behind-the-stove-design idea.

Everyone's ideas and comments are very helpful. I've nixed the tile I had chosen, it was too light and looked dingy against the white cabs. I'm going to look for a more medium gray one, or maybe even a browngray as my floors are close to the color of the bottom cabs and I could play off them instead of the gray in the countertops? My kitchen gets alot of light. I was using this pic for how to tile around the fan as mine is similar, but you all still feel the tile should only go to the bottom of the fan?

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Here is a closeup of my counters... they have gray streaks. I tried a light gray tile but thought it looked dingy. My floors are wood and close to the cabinet color. Should I be looking for a taupe colored tile as in the above pic, a darker gray, or try to find a white tile? I've decided to do the longer tiles in a straight stack pattern